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Monday, November 18, 2013

Sprint Hot Stove Report: Part I - ASCoC and the Buckeye State

With the 2013 racing season coming to a wrap, it's time to
take a look at the rotating driver's seats that may give the sport a new look
by the time we reach 2014.

Starting in the BuckeyeState, we could see a
shakeup in the core drivers that have been a lock with the All Star Circuit of
Champions over the past several seasons. Rumors have arisen questioning the
future of the Ti22 sponsored #2 of Dale Blaney. The multiple-time and defending
champion, as well as all-time ASCoC wins leader, could be experiencing some
changes within the team in the upcoming campaign. While Blaney and Co. may
bring a new look to the table come next racing season, I don't think he'll be
going away any time soon.

As announced, long-time front runner, 3-time ASCoC champion,
and 2011 Knoxville Nationals champion Tim Shaffer and the CH Motorsports #83 team
have agreed to part ways following the 2013 campaign. The up and coming star Christopher Bell has been named the new driver of the familiar #83 machine
leaving Shaffer without any guarantees of racing in 2014. Because of prior
commitments with Keith Kunz and Toyota, Bell will be running a
limited schedule in the Aaron Call and Janet Holbrook owned sprinter. That
being said, we can assume that the seat of the #83 will be filled during most
big events, even when Bell
is unavailable.

David Gravel's 2014 plans are also up in the air as of now. Former ASCoC regular spent this previous season following the World of Outlaws
from coast to coast after filling in for Bill Rose for a few months following
his injury at the 2013 DIRTcar Nationals. Gravel was also the pilot of the BWW #82 machine during a few shows earlier this fall. It will be interesting to see where he runs
the majority of his races next year.

Per an announcement at the World Finals in Concord, NC,
Sheldon Haudenschild will be running a large number of races next year in the Marshall
Motorsports 33M beginning with the sprint car portion of the 2014 DIRTcar
Nationals presented by UNOH at Volusia Speedway in February. Plans are unknown
after the conclusion of Florida Speedweeks, but the pair hopes to branch out
and explore some different venues.

Bryan Sebetto and the Hammer Motorsports #24 have parted ways
after struggling for much of the year. This will leave the hotshoe of Sebetto
searching for a ride. The #24 team will also be in search of a new driver but
their list is a little longer with the likes of Rob Chaney, Dean Jacobs, Brandon
Wimmer, and Tim Shaffer - just to name a few - not having full-time rides in
2014. Wimmer recently piloted the Hammer Motorsports entry recently at the World
of Outlaws World Finals, albeit without much success.

The short tenure of the Destiny Motorsports #9w has not
deterred the attraction of a handful of drivers. With a number of different
guys hopping in the seat at least one time this past year, the team has secured
the Wild Child Jac Haudenschild as their 2014 driver. It is hard to guess what
races this team may enter next season, but we can be sure that it will be a
contender anywhere it appears. The storied history of a hardcharger such as
Haudenschild may be exactly what Destiny Motorsports needs to bring its team to
prominence on the racing scene.

Lastly, let us not forget about the tracks in the Ohio area that will be mixing things up. The NAPA Auto
Parts Wayne County Speedway has announced on their Facebook page that they will be running on Saturday nights in 2014. While it is hard to tell exactly how this
will effect the Orrville, Ohio
track, make sure to keep an eye on how this effects the shakeup on their weekly
sprintcar and late model fields.

The recently re-opened Atomic Speedway looks
to do nothing but improve Ohio
racing in 2014. With the addition of a few ASCoC shows, including a 2014 Ohio
Speedweek event, more racers will have the opportunity to race for a larger
payout at different points throughout the year. Atomic has also added the
unsanctioned Freedom 40 for the 410 sprints and a monster 3-day weekend for
lates in early May featuring the NDRL Super Late Models. Kudos to the owners,
management, and all involved at Atomic Speedway for doing everything in their
power to improve the sport that we all love.

That about wraps up the unknowns of the sprint car world in Ohio. Check back shortly for more in depth discussion regarding other regions and organizations throughout the country.